OLDHAM giant Matt Smith proved that lightning can strike twice as he forced a replay with the last piece of action of a pulsating Cup tie.

Smith, who scored two of the goals which sunk Liverpool in the last round, came on as a substitute with little Oldham 2-1 down.

He had already forced Tim Howard into a fine save when, in a frenetic finish, the League One side who are dicing with relegation turned on the pressure with a flurry of corners.

With the four minutes of added time expired, Jon Grounds sent in the final critical one. There was Smith to rise above the bedlam and chaos in the packed box to force the ball over the line.

Having ended Liverpool’s FA Cup ambitions in the last round Oldham are now looking to emulate Derby County’s exploits of 1976 – the last club to knock out both Merseyside teams in the competition in the same season.

When teenager Jordan Obita gave them an early lead, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted that self-confessed Oldham nut Paul Scholes would have hit the roof. He wasn’t the only one. Everton boss David Moyes had a face like thunder after selecting a side many consider a good bet to win the famous trophy.

Victor Anichebe equalised for the Premiership side before half time

"Oldham are now looking to emulate Derby County’s exploits of 1976 – the last club to knock out both Merseyside teams in the competition in the same season"

Everton refused to be ruffled and struck back with goals from Victor Anichebe and Phil Jagielka to place them on the brink of a place in the quarter-finals.

While Liverpool folded alarmingly at Boundary Park, Everton tried to stand up to the task – enduring more than a few scares along the way.

Once again a full house was left wondering why Oldham whose axed boss Paul Dickov watched the game as an ITV pundit can’t replicate their cup form in league games.

Barely had the tremors from Blackburn’s sensational win at Arsenal subsided before Oldham created a few shock waves of their own.

Having cleared a Leighton Baines corner Oldham swept forward with Lee Croft brushing off Leon Osman to accelerate towards the Everton penalty area. The former Manchester City and Norwich man’s big time pedigree came to the fore as he calmly crossed low for Obita to side foot home at the far post.

It was the easiest of finishes for the 19-year-old winger who is on loan from Reading – one which provoked a heated inquest among the Everton defence who were looking for the offside flag.

Within 12 minutes Everton were level through a confident finish from Anichebe who had started up front alongside Nikica Jelavic in a bold statement of intent by manager Moyes.

If Everton thought this was now the gateway to an easy evening they were in for a surprise as Obita’s strike clipped off Marouane Fellaini and came back off the post.

Sharing the relief of the Everton fans packed behind that goal was defender Tony Hibbert who had become a paying customer for the day.

Once again Oldham who can do little right in League One, immersed in a relegation fight, looked a different side as they contained their illustrious visitors, reaching the sanctuary of their dressing room at half-time on level terms.

Their dynamic deeds brought back memories of those heady early Premier League days when Royle’s side welcomed and often beat the big boys here.

The club may now be on skid row but it’s still not a place for the fainthearted as Liverpool discovered.

Jagielka had warned in the build up to this game that Everton wouldn’t be bullied. He led by example to head the Toffees into the lead.

Substitute Kevin Mirallas’s first bit of action was to float in a dangerous corner. Jagielka, despite being held by Lee Barnard and closed down by keeper Bouzanis, managed to flick his header into the net.

Everton now looked to kill off the game and it took a smart save from Bouzanis to deny Steven Pienaar.

Without the safety net of another goal there was always the chance that Oldham could force a lucrative replay. And it was Smith who forced Howard to push his shot round a post.

There was an even better save from Howard who smothered an effort from Robbie Simpson, with the striker hammering the rebound into the side netting. Then came Smith to earn a trip to Merseyside.

sign on the Oldham Athletic home team changing room door asks players not to swap their shirts